Why I'm a Personal Trainer

Experience is the teacher of all things.

— Julius Caesar

I know many of you don’t know me personally. To many of you I’m just some guy talking about fitness and discipline online, and that might not mean much to you. I thought I should take a step back and explain why I do what I do, and why I do it the way that I do it. Hopefully then you’ll see why this means so much to me.

I used to be a drug addict. Like a bad one. The kind who would fight and steal and not care about anyone else, not the kind who just smoked some pot and was a little bit lazy. I used to be a huge piece of shit. It’s embarrassing, but it is what it is. I can’t change what I was, I can only use it to fuel what I am.

I started using heavy opiates when I was about 18, and promptly developed a problem. This problem led me to drop out of college, lose many relationships, lose any job prospects and ruin my body.

By the time I was 23 I was nearly homeless, broke, and 135 pounds of skin and bone. My health had deteriorated nearly to the point of no return. I firmly believe that I would be dead if I had not been urged to clean my life up by my awesome parents and siblings.

I wasn’t where I wanted to be, or who I wanted to be. I was a weak, impulsive child. I had no path to becoming the man I wanted to be when drugs were still in my life. I had to make a drastic change in my life if I wanted to grow.

In January 2011 I got clean. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke or do anything else. An extra cup of coffee is the extent of my craziness now. Once I made that decision and began to carve my own path to manhood and sobriety I have had no problems, nor temptations. The act of growing and developing as a person is much more satisfying than any manufactured high.

When I first got clean I felt a little lost, I had wasted 5 years of my life and was behind my peers in terms of careers and social prospects.

The problem with sobriety is that there are no perfect pathways. I went to a 12 step program for a couple weeks, but it was not for me. A lot of the people there were making excuses for their behavior and seeking new addictions. Very few people were actively working to better their situation and themselves. It was not for me. I needed action and improvement.

It was in the back of a 12 Step Meeting that I decided to carve my own pathway to sobriety and wholeness. I embarked on a strict physical, spiritual and educational journey. I forced myself to push my body and mind constantly. There was no time for rest. I had to make up for the years I wasted.

It was during this time that I became a regular at my local gym. Physical fitness was the most tangible means of improvement.

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The first thing I noticed wasn’t a physical change, but a spiritual change. The work I put in the gym was giving me a confidence and self-belief that was largely lacking before. I felt stronger. This wasn’t because I looked better, I felt stronger because I was learning how to push myself. I felt stronger because I was developing the discipline needed to live a productive life.

The hard work in the gym began to bleed over into every aspect of my life. I found myself being more social, more productive and more confident. I was waking up at 5:00AM every morning to read and study for my training certification. I had changed my mind into a positive beacon. I was no longer looking for an escape from reality because I was creating a reality that I loved.

After about a year of heavy training I had gained 30 pounds and changed my body in an incredible way. I looked better and I felt better, all through a little self-discipline. I discovered that the only way to beat self-doubt is to develop a skill or a trait that gives you self-assurance. Confidence and happiness were a product of hard work, they did not happen by accident.

I became a personal trainer because I know there are tons of people who feel the way I felt. They feel lost, unhappy and genuinely do not like themselves when they look in the mirror. They could have a drug problem, a health problem, a self-control problem or just be placed in a shitty situation. The cause doesn’t matter because the results are the same- they are unhappy and they are not sure how to improve their prospects.

I know that developing discipline and a hearty work ethic in the gym can make anyone’s life better. That is why I do what I do.

I became a personal trainer because I know that physical fitness can change who you are as a person. It can give you the mental strength needed to overcome any obstacle. The act of pushing your body teaches you how to be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. That trait will make every other part of your life better.

The act of improving your body requires you to improve your mind, whether you are aware of it or not. It requires you to dig deep, and tap strength that you did not know existed. Fitness requires you to constantly test your endurance against resistance. I cannot think of a better metaphor for life.

With my past and what I have overcome I know I can help anyone. Problems may be big or small, but they are not able to be overcome unless you have the skills and self-belief to do so. I know that you are capable of much more than you think you are. You just haven’t proved it to yourself yet.

Train with me!

If you're sick and tired of trying and failing at diet and workout plans, train with me!

Let's work together to create the perfect workout plan for you, while I create the perfect diet plan for you. There's no point in creating a great body if you can't live your life and show it off. Get in touch today and we can start your journey to a happy, fit life.